Unbeknownst to Vale, a powerful undead who had a grudge against him was rapidly closing in on his location.
Oblivious to the imminent danger, he stood captivated, his attention fixated on the progress of Ceres within the Ascension Tower.
Vale observed as the sixth floor of the Tower illuminated, a clear indication that Ceres had successfully overcome the challenges of the fifth floor. This particular level had proven to be a formidable obstacle, eliminating the majority of students who had dared to venture further.
"As expected of the princess…"
"I didn't expect a Holy Arts Practitioner to have such an incredible combat prowess."
"Indeed… She's too different from the other Priestess I've seen."
"What do you know? She's aiming to be a Paladin, not a Priestess…"
"Whatever it is, our kingdom will surely prosper with such a talented princess."
The crowd erupted into a euphoric cheer, their excitement could not be hidden. Even Odessa, the esteemed Royal Mage, couldn't help but display a rare smile at this remarkable achievement.
'I wonder what kind of Mystical Item she got from her older brother…' Odessa thought as she observed the light on the sixth floor.
It seemed that it was a lot easier than the fifth floor as Ceres soon progressed to the seventh floor.
However, despite the jubilation surrounding Ceres' triumph, a sense of foreboding hung in the atmosphere. After all, it wasn't easy to progress from the seventh floor onwards. The people who had done so were less than 12 people, and they had all ended up as legendary figures in the world of Arcanists.
"No…"
"The light disappeared!"
Similar to Lexie from the Psychic Arts Academy, it appeared that Ceres was destined to encounter an insurmountable obstacle on the seventh floor of the Tower.
The pattern was becoming evident, as if the Tower itself conspired to test the limits of these exceptional individuals, challenging their resolve and pushing them to their very limits.
Just like Vale thought, Ceres soon came out as she failed to clear the seventh floor even after lasting there for over 15 minutes. At the very least, she had undoubtedly lasted longer than Lexie.
If Vale failed to break her record, the first-place award for the competition would be hers.
At this point, Vale had already stood up and got closer to the Tower. He noticed Ceres' expression, and she didn't seem disappointed by the result she made.
As a matter of fact, Vale could see her delighted expression as she held a couple of items with her.
'It seems she got a decent reward from clearing the fifth and sixth floor…' Vale thought to himself as he waited for his name to be called.
After Ceres had received treatment from the skilled medical practitioners and was escorted to the designated resting area, Vale's attention was immediately captured by the sound of his own name echoing throughout the surroundings.
His name was called by the Tower Official. It was the signal he had been waiting for, indicating that it was now his turn to enter the towering structure known as the Ascension Tower.
As he made his way towards the entrance, a symphony of cheers erupted from his friends and fellow students at the Vermont Academy.
Their supportive voices reverberated in his ears, filling him with a surge of determination and confidence. He even heard the voice of the Headmaster within his mind, offering words of encouragement and urging him to give his all in the upcoming trials.
"Alright… I will not disappoint you." Vale muttered as he looked at the Tower.
With a mix of excitement and anticipation, Vale stepped forward, clutching the enigmatic key that had been bestowed upon him.
As he crossed the threshold into the unknown, he was momentarily blinded by a brilliant flash of light. It didn't take long to adjust his vision as he looked around the surroundings.
Vale found himself standing within the vast and grandiose hall of the Tower's first floor.
At the center of the hall, his gaze fell upon the first challenge that awaited him: a wooden golem. Despite its aged appearance, the golem seemed to possess the talent of a warrior. It stood tall and poised with a wooden sword gripped tightly in its hand.
Vale couldn't help but smile at the sight of the seemingly harmless opponent before him as he sensed no immediate threat. With his current strength, he just couldn't feel threatened by this enemy.
"Let's begin…" Vale muttered as he entered his Phantasm State.
He knew better than to underestimate any challenge within the Ascension Tower. It was a test of skill, strength, and resilience, and Vale was determined to conquer each floor with unwavering focus.
With a steely resolve, he prepared himself to face the golem head-on…
Without warning, the wooden golem lunged forward, its wooden sword poised to strike.
Vale remained composed as he wanted to ensure that there wouldn't be any sort of ambush or hidden weapons aiming at him while dealing with golem...
However, it seemed that he overestimated the first floor as he didn't feel any movement aside from the golem…
Vale wryly smiled as he invoked one of his most useful spells, Traceless Shift.
Through the mastery of his spell, the wooden sword disappeared from the golem's grasp, reappearing in Vale's own hands.
The golem, unaware of the sudden exchange, continued swinging its arms as if still wielding a sword.
Seizing the opportunity, Vale wasted no time. With a swift and powerful swing, he brought down the wooden blade upon the golem, shattering it into countless wooden fragments.
Just like that, the first floor of the Ascension Tower had been conquered, a testament to Vale's skill and determination.
As the echoes of the golem's destruction reverberated in the hall, Vale took a moment to observe the surroundings to ensure that it had really ended.
However, as he saw the treasure chest materializing out of nowhere, he knew that the trial of the first floor had truly ended.
'So it was really just like that… How come someone failed this first floor?' Vale couldn't help but recall the other students who had failed as he approached the treasure chest.
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